Crime & Safety
WATCH: Plane at Las Vegas Airport Erupts In Flames, Injuring 20
A scary scene for passengers aboard the British Airways flight.
A plane at the Las Vegas airport went up in flames Tuesday afternoon, injuring 20 as the plane was evacuated in a panic.
The British Airways jet bound for London Gatwick caught fire on the runway shortly after 4 p.m. local time, according to McCarran Airport.
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The fire was the result of an engine failure. Passengers escaped through thick smoke down emergency slides, according to NBC News.
20 of the 159 passengers on flight 2276 were taken to a local hospital with injuries, NBC reported.
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According to the McCarron Airport Twitter feed, the Clark County Fire Department got a call about the incident at 4:13, with flames spotted a minute later. The flames were out, and all passengers were evacuated by 4:18.
One of McCarron’s four runways closed, and a ground stop was put in place for flights coming in from five airports.
The runway eventually opened at 12:01 a.m. local time.
Friends and family who may have had a loved one on the flight can call 1-800-654-3246 for more information.
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